Episode 18: When Pronouns Have A Passport
Pronouns are everywhere. We use them daily. And yet, they’ve become one of the most misunderstood topics of our time.
In this episode of Canadian Salad, Andrea and Hostion take listeners on a lively, globe-trotting exploration of pronouns. From English and Romance languages to Chinese, Japanese, African, and Indigenous linguistic traditions, this conversation reveals how pronouns are far more than grammar tools. They carry culture, history, hierarchy, and power.
Together, we unpack why pronouns feel so charged in Western societies, how colonialism shaped gendered language, and why using someone’s correct pronouns is not about being “political,” but about recognition, dignity, and belonging. With personal stories, humour, and research-backed insights, this episode invites curiosity over fear and learning over outrage.
If you’ve ever wondered why pronouns matter to some people but not others, or how language quietly shapes who gets seen and respected, this episode is your invitation to think differently.
Episode Sources
Chosen Name Use Is Linked to Reduced Depressive Symptoms, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicidal Behavior Among Transgender Youth - Journal of Adolescent Health
Gender - Cambridge University Press
Judith Butler - Britannica Online
The Korean Language - Book by Ho-min Sohn, Internet Archive
Swahili grammar, including intonation - Book by Ethel Ashton, Internet Archive
Gender, Gender, Gender - Taylor Jones, Blog
Quiz Sources
Tuyuca: Economist on the World’s Hardest Language - Society for Linguistic Anthropology
Morphologies in Contact - De Gruyter Brill